Male prison worker asserts reverse-gender discrimination

Department of Corrections categorizes longtime job post as being female only

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, plaintiff William Reese sought damages from defendant Michigan Dept. of Corrections (MDOC) asserting reverse-gender employment discrimination claims.

Reese, a corrections officer with the MDOC for more than 20 years, had worked at Camp Brighton, a women’s correctional facility. There, he performed duties of a work crew supervisor and received third-shift overtime hours. When the facility closed, Reese was transferred to Camp White Lake in 2007, another women’s correctional facility.

There, he was told he could no longer work third-shift overtime nor as a work crew supervisor, as those positions had been categorized by the MDOC as bona fide occupational qualification, female only, for privacy reasons.

Plaintiff asserted he could perform his duties without, in any way, compromising prisoners’ privacy interests or security interests of the MDOC or the general public. It also was contended that, although he suffered no economic damages from not receiving the work crew supervisor position, he suffered emotional distress because that assignment had been his career.

Defendant contended that prisoners’ privacy interests would be compromised, as would the MDOC’s security interests.

The jury found for the plaintiff, and awarded $50,000.

Type of action: Employment discrimination

Type of injuries: Emotional distress

Name of case: Reese v. Michigan Dept. of Corrections

Court/Case no./Date: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan; Dec. 6, 2010